Binder strap



Allg 3, l965 J. cAvl-:NEY ET AL 3,197,829

BINDER STRA? Filed March 8, 1962 Q @e ll/M f f V LMV? O 1 a mw 5 T n mgmw 5 Nn Qu .m Nm@ MA Q mi ,w .ww 6 R m M W u... 1..../

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United States Patent 3,197,829 BHNDER STRAP Jack E. Caveney, Chicago,and Roy A. Moody, Riverdale, Ill., assgnors to Pantluit Corporation,Tinley Parli, lill., a corporation of illinois Filed llt/lar. S, 1962,Ser. No. 178,331 6 Claims. (Si. 2dr-16) This invention relates to theart of wrapping and binding wires or cables and particularly to a wireor cable tie or binder having improved qualities for versatile use inwiring systems ordinarily adapted for being bound with wiring harnesses.

On electrical installations such as on electric control panels,automobiles, aircraft and others, where a plurality of electrical unitsare wired together in different ways, it has become customary to directadjacent wires along coincident paths for neatness and for facility ofvisual location by binding them together with string, straps, tape orother forms of wiring binders. Although some binders, clamps or otherWire tie forms have proven satisfactory for some applications, all ofthem have seemed to display certain shortcomings limiting their use andapplication. Among the disadvantages of some are lack of adjustabilityto accommodate a Wide enough range of wire bundle sizes so that manydifferent size clamps or binders must be available to meet every need.There are adjustable binders which can accommodate a wide range ofbundle sizes and -they are of either the releasable or non-releasabletypes. The releasable type can be applied to a bundle and thereafterreleased and removed for reuse Without being destroyed. But, thereleasable feature complicates the design and manufacture and therebymakes the entire cost relatively high. It has also been learned fromexperience that the releasable feature is not essential in most casesbecause removal of the binders, once in place, is usually not required.Therefore, for most situations a non-releasable type is satisfactory.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved wirebinder of the non-releasable type which obviates some of the diicultiesand disadvantages of prior art devices by being adapted for a wide rangeof bundle sizes, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install. Itscost of manufacture is believed to be low enough that it can be usedeconomically in certain places where the reusable or releasable type hadbeen previously used on the basis that the binder can be cut off andthrown away and replaced with another without any substantial costincrease for the times that replacement or adjustment is required.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wire binderwhich can be manufactured in a simple manner, preferably of a moldedplastic such as nylon or the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wire binderhaving an improved strap check feature insuring a firm ystrap grip inits check position.

It is another object to provide an improved wire binder having animproved strap check feature which is insured of proper operation evenwith ordinary dimensional manufacturing variations.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved wirebinder which does not embody an ordinary check pawl, but rather employsa surrounding sleeve having a wedge which forces overlapping toothedportions of the binder into tight engagement with each other.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a wire binderadapted for a wide range of wire sizes which is left with a freeextending end after it is tensioned onto a bundle, which free end can bereadily severed and removed to leave a neat and compact binder joint.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should become apparentupon reference -to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l shows a perspective view of a wire bundle secured together by aplurality of the wire binders of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view partially cut away and partially in sectionof the main portions of the wire binder of this invention;

FlG. 3 shows a front elevation partially cut away and partially insection of the wire binder shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a right end view along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FlG. 5' shows a sectional view of the :sleeve portion of the wire binderas viewed along line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a partial sectional view of the assembled wire binder as itappears surrounding a bundle of wires prior to tensioning the wirebinder; and

FIG. 7 shows a :smaller partial sectional view of the assembled wirebinder as it appears after the Wire binder is tensioned onto the bundleof wires.

In FIG. l is shown how a plurality of wires 1 are held bound together bymeans of the preferred wire binder straps 2 embodying the invention. Thebinders are encircled about the wires which extend parallel to eachother and are grouped into a closely aligned bundle. The Worker 3 isshown grasping the end of a binder strap to invariably tension it ontothe bundle. A tool might just as well be used for this purpose. Afterthe straps are tensioned taut, the free end of the strap is severed andremoved.

The preferred embodiment of one of the wire binder straps 2 is shownenlarged in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The strap 2 is provided with a long endlength d connected to a shorter connector end 5. The length 4 isordinarily provided with a separate or discrete encircling connectorsleeve 6 which is free to pass along the length 4 because of a centralopening 7 extending longitudinally through the sleeve 6. The length isprovided with equally spaced transverse teeth 8 connected to each otherin a sawtooth pattern. These teeth 3 extend only partially below onesurface of the length d. The connector end 5 is substantially of thesame width as the length 4, except for two triangular wedges 9 and l0projecting from its sides. Also, the connector end 5 is of wedge shapebecoming progressively thicker toward its free end. The upper surface ofthe connector end 5 is provided with three transverse teeth ll which areabout the same size as the teeth S of the length al. A notch l2 isprovided in front of the teeth l1 to diminish the crosssection and allowthe strap to bend sharply in that region, as will later be described.Still ahead of the notch 12 is a narrow width 13 of the strap which isnot essential, but ahead of it the side margins of the strap areprovided with two projecting pads le and l5 which project transverselyto a width slightly greater than the inside width of the sleeve 6. Thepurpose of these pads 14 and 15 is to cause the sleeve 6 to be heldcaptive between them and the connector end 5 once the sleeve is forcedpast them.

T he sleeve 6 is shaped to mate with the connector end 5. It has abottom wall 6a providing an internal wedging surface sloped to match theslope of the wedging surface or bottom wall 5a of the connector end Sand (FIG. 5) it has two wedge shaped recesses 6b and 6c which are of thesame size and shape as the laterally projecting triangular Wedges on theconnector end 5. The mating of the wedges 9 and lt) with the recesses 6band 6c prevents the connector sleeve 6 from sliding of of the free endof the connector end 5.

In use, a binder strap 2 is encircled about a group of wires ll, asindicated in FIG. 6. After the connector sleeve 6 has been moved pastthe pads lili and l5, the length 4 is in effect bent back upon itself toprovide a loop and the free end da of the length i is inserted betweenthe top inside wall de of the opening 7 in the sleeve 6 and the uppersurface of the narrow portion i3 of the strap 2 and is moved through thesleeve in the direction toward the connector end 5, as shown in FIG. 6.lt will be obvious from a consideration of FlG. 6 that this initialmovement of the free end da through the sleeve d and in overlying andsliding contact across the top of the connector end 5, tends to urge theconnector end in the same direction, thereby initially tending to insurethat the sloping wedging surface 5a of the connector end 5 is out ofwedging engagement with the internal wedging surface 6a of the sleeve dand, thus, insuring or permitting free movement of the free end portionof the strap through the sleeve. YContinued pulling of the strap length4 in this direction through the sleeve, however, begins to cause theloop to become tensioned about the object being bound and this tensionthereupon causes the connector end 5 to be drawn into the opening 7 ofthe sleeve 6 until the sloped bottom surface 5a of the connector end 5contacts the sloped lower inside wall 6a of the sleeve 6, and the teethlll of the connector end 5 are close enough to engage the teeth 8 on thelength 4, The free end da of the length 4 .is then pulled furtherthrough the sleeve 6 until the strap loop encircling the wires l is tautto a tension suliicient to adequately ,hold the wires l. tightlytogether. Such a condition is shown in FlG. 7 where the strap is shownbent sharply in the region of the notch l2 due to the tautness of thestrap in its loop about the wires li. It should be noted that the slopeof the teeth 8 and lll is such that they can slide over each otherwithout difficulty while tensioning the strap, but hook into engagementwith each other thereafter to prevent reverse movement and anyslackening of the strap tension.

During the strap tensioning period, the tension developed in the strapcauses the connector end 5 to wedge more tightly against the strap endda to cause tighter engagement of the mating teeth 3 and li and tighterabutment or engagement of the upper surface of the strap end da with theupper inner surface 6e of the sleeve 6, and this guarantees that, oncethe binder is tensioned, it will not loosen. After tensioning iscompleted, the free strap end 4a portion as indicated in phantom outlinein FIG. 7 is severed from the remainder of the strap in a region 4bclose to the sleeve 6 and the connector end 5 to provide a iinal neatappearance like that shown on the secured binder straps 2 in FIG. l. Itis self-apparent, of course, that after the binder strap has beenapplied and tensioned about an object in the manner described above, anyforces applied to the strap tending to withdraw the strap length 4 fromthe sleeve 6 in the direction opposite to that in which the strap length4 was initially inserted through the sleeve, will tend to move thewedging surface 5a on the connector end 5 still more iirmly against theinternal wedging surface 6a of the sleeve 6 and thereby still morefirmly urge the connector end 5 and the portion 4 of the strap intolocking engagement.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it should be clearly understood that the invention can bemade in many different ways, without departing from the true scope ofthe invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

il. A binder strap comprising: an elongated flexible strap, one end ofsaid strap being a connector end and the remainder of said strap lengthconstituting a free end portion, a tapered wedge integrally formed onsaid connector end of said strap, said wedge having a sloping wedgingsurface thereon, a discrete connector sleeve encircling said strap andmovable longitudinally with respect thereto, an internal sloping wedgingsurface in said sleeve adapted to engage said first-mentioned wedgingsurface, and an internal abutment surface in said sleeve opposite saidinternal wedging surface, said free end portion of said strap being bentback upon itself to provide a loop and being inserted through saidsleeve in a iirst direction toward said connector end of said strap withsaid free end portion of said strap overlying said connector endthereof, said free end portion of said strap being movable through saidsleeve in said overlying position and in said direction toward saidconnector end of said strap to tighten said 4loop about an associatedobject, the initial movement of said free end portion of said strapthrough said sleeve in said direction toward said connector end tendingto urge said wedge on said connector end out of engagement with saidinternal wedging surface, thereby to permit free movement of said freeend portion of said strap in said direction, the tensioning of said loopabout the associated object causing said wedge on said connector end ofsaid strap slidably to bear against said internal wedging surface insaid sleeve to urge said connector end into forceful engagement withsaid free end portion of said strap and iirrnly to urge said free endportion of said strap against said internal abutment surface in saidsleeve thereby to secure said loop in a tightened condition, any forcetending to withdraw said free end portion of said strap from said sleevein a direction opposite said first direction tending to move said wedgeon said connector end of said strap still more firmly against saidinternal wedging surface in said sleeve and thereby more firmly to urgesaid connector end and said free end portion of said strap into lockingengagement, whereby to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of said free endportion of said strap from said sleeve and to prevent loosening of saidloop.

2. A binder strap comprising: an elongated flexible strap having arelatively smooth surface on one side thereof and a row of teeth on theopposite side thereof, one end of said strap being a connector end andthe remainder of said strap length constituting a free end portion, atapered wedge integrally formed on said connector end of said strap,said wedge having a sloping first wedging surface on a side thereofopposite the toothed surface of said strap, a discrete connector sleeveencircling said strap and movable longitudinally with respect thereto,an internal sloping wedging surface in said sleeve adapted to engagesaid first-mentioned Wedging surface, and an internal abutment surfacein said sleeve opposite said internal wedging surface, said free endportion of said strap being bent back upon itself to provide a loop andbeing inserted through said sleeve in a rst direction toward saidconnector end of said strap with said free end portion of said strapoverlying said connector end thereof and with said teeth of said freeend portion overlying and engaging said teeth of said connector end,said free end portion of said strap being movable through said sleeve insaid overlying position and in said direction toward said connector endof said strap to tighten said loop about an associated object, theinitial movement of said free end portion of said strap through saidsleeve in said direction toward said connector end tending to urge saidwedge on said connector end out of engagement with said internal wedgingsurface, thereby to permit free movement of said free end portion ofsaid strap in said direction, the tensioning of said loop about theassociated object causing said wedge on said connector end of said strapslidably to bear against said intemal wedging surface in said sleeve tourge said teeth on said connector end into locking engagernent with saidteeth on said free end portion of said strap and firmly to urge saidplain surface of said free end portion of said strap against saidinternal abutment surface in said sleeve thereby to secure said loop ina tightened condition, any force tending to withdraw said free endportion of said strap from said sleeve in a direction opposite saidfirst direction tending to move said wedge on said connector end of saidstrap still more irrnly lagainst said internal wedging surface in saidsleeve and thereby more firmly to urge said teeth into interlockingengagement, whereby to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of said free endportion of said strapfrom said sleeve and to prevent loosening of saidloop.

3. A binder strap comprising: a exible free strap length, said lengthbeing joined at one end to a connector portion, `a connector sleevesurrounding said strap length, said strap length having a projectionthereon which restricts passage of the sleeve oil one end of the binderstrap, the connector portion having a projection thereon which restrictspassage of the sleeve ott the other end of the binder strap, the freeend of said strap length being bent back upon itself into a loop andinserted forwardly through said connector sleeve toward said connectorportion, said connector portion being wedge shaped and adapted to engagean internal wedge shaped recess in the connector sleeve to urge theportion of said strap length extending through said connector sleevetightly against said connector portion as the connector sleeve is movedtoward said connector portion.

4. A binder strap comprising: a flexible free strap length provided witha plurality of teeth along one of its surfaces, said length being joinedat one end to a connector portion which is also provided with teethalong it projecting in the same direction as the teeth of the straplength, a connector sleeve surrounding said strap length, said straplength having a projection thereon which restricts passage of the sleeveoff one end of the binder strap, the connector portion having aprojection thereon which restricts passages of the sleeve oli the otherend of the binder strap, the free end of said strap length being bent,back upon itself, into a loop and inserted forwardly through saidconnector sleeve toward said connector portion, said connector portionbeing wedge shaped and engageable with an internal wedge shaped recessin the connector sleeve to urge the portion of said strap lengthextending through said connector sleeve tightly against said connectorportion and thereby urge the teeth on the strap length into engagementwith the teeth on the connector portion as the connector sleeve is movedtoward said connector portion.

5. A binder strap as deiined by claim 4 characterized by, said teeth onboth the strap length and the connector portion being of sawtooth shapeso that they interlock and resist reverse movement of the strap and pastthe connector portion, but readily allow slippage of the strap end overthe connector portion in a forward direction.

6. A binder strap as defined by claim 4 characterized by, said binderstrap being of reduced cross-section in the region of the connectorportion so that the binder strap preferentially bends easier at saidregion due to tension in the strap loop when said loop of binder strapis tensioned onto an object.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 21,305 8/58 Agnew24k25 211,331 1/79 Johnson 24`25 1,278,779 9/18 Springer 24-17 2,474,3726/ 49 Schmith 24-206 2,632,217 3/53 Flora 24-16 2,915,268 12/59 Wrobel24-206 X 2,979,794 4/61 De Bartolo 24-17 3,009,220 11/61 Fein 24-16FOREIGN PATENTS 209,500 8/ 57 Australia.

518,012 3/53 Belgium.

137,072 12/ 19 Great Britain.

DONLEY l. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiner.

3. BINDER STRAP COMPRISING: A FLEXIBLE FREE STRAP LENGTH, SAID BEING JOINED AT ONE END TO A CONNECTOR PROTION, A CONNECTOR SLEEVE SURROUNDIONG SAID STRAP LENGTH, SAID STRAP LENGTH HAVING A PROJECTION THEREON WHICH RESTRICTS PASSAGE OF THE SLEEVE OFF ONE END OF THE BINDER STRAP, THE CONNECTOR PROTION HAVING A PROJECTION THEREON WHICH RESTRICTS PASSAGE OF THE SLEEVE OFF THE OTHER END OF THE BINDER STRAP, THE FREE END OF SAID STRAP LENGTH BEING BEND BACK ITSELF INTO A LOOP AND INSERTED FORWARDLY THROUGH SAID CONNECTOR SLEEVE TOWARD SAID CONNECTOR PORTION, SAID CONNECTOR PORTION BEING WEDGE SHAPED AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AN INTERNAL WEDGE SHAPED RECESS ION THE CONNECTOR SLEEVE TO URGE THE POTION OF SAID STRAP LENGTH EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CONNECTOR SLEEVE TIGHTLY AGAINST SAID CONNECTOR PORTION AS THE CONNECTOR SLEEVE IS MOVED TOWARD SAID CONNECTOR PORTION. 